


夏休み

by MysticAssassin



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: (My friend dubbed the pairing and I think it sounds adorable), Fluff, Natsuri - Freeform, Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-16
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-06-28 02:15:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15698076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MysticAssassin/pseuds/MysticAssassin
Summary: Natori wants to show Natsume that sometimes it's okay to simply go out and have fun.(A short story about Natsume and Natori enjoying a bit of time together during the summer.)





	夏休み

♧Let's go to Nagasaki♧

**___________________________**

 

Natsume walked back to the Fujiwara residence. Despite the summer season, the day had been overcast- several gray clouds sat threateningly in the dreary sky. It had rained earlier in the morning but it was now still.

The humidity lingered like an _ayakashi_ that would not depart until its name was returned.

A few stray drops of sweat slid down the side of Natsume's face and down his neck. He couldn't lift his hands to wipe the water away as he held Nyanko in his arms. The overstuffed lucky cat imitation fast asleep. Despite being a magnificent beast, in his cat form, he acted very cat like at times like these. Natsume smiled despite himself. But when the house drew near, he sighed in relief. He yearned for the comfort of a cool place to rest, and to release Nyanko so that his hands could be free.

“I'm back.” He called as he slid the front door open and stepped into the small entrance way where all the shoes and umbrellas were kept.

As he began slipping out of his shoes, he looked down to see a pair of shoes that belonged neither to him, Touko, or Shigeru.

“In here, Takashi.” Touko’s voice rang out from the kitchen area, filled with mirth. Natsume figured that the guest that the shoe belonged to was in the kitchen as well.

He made his way to the kitchen before going up to his room. If it happened to be someone that would create an awkward atmosphere, he could at the very least use taking his bag and sleeping cat up to his room as an excuse.

As Natsume rounded the corner into the kitchen, a frown settled onto his lips. He could only see the back of the guest’s head but there was little else he needed to see to know who it was.

“Welcome back, Takashi.” Touko smiled up at him as he entered. Her face as bright as her voice.

The man sitting with her turned toward Natsume as well. And Natsume saw the dark shadow of a lizard slither up the man’s neck before darting behind and back into his shirt collar. Natsume sucked in a sharp intake of breath upon the sight. His eyes darting from the living tattoo to Touko before remembering that she could not see the thing, and he relaxed. And just as quickly, flowers seemed to bloom in the very air of the room creating a vibrant atmosphere.

“Welcome back, Natsume.” Natori’s smile stretched, and more flowers bloomed.

“Oh my.” Touko uttered amused at the scene. Taken by the actor’s radiance.

“What are you doing here, Natori-san?” Natsume’s words came out too forward. “Don’t you have to work?” Whether it was his main job as an actor or the side job of an exorcist, he didn't specify.

“Oh, Takashi. Natori-san here was just telling me about a trip to the beach.” Touko clasped her hands together at the side of her face. “It sounds wonderful.” Natsume looked toward Natori. It was unclear as to if the trip was one the exorcist had taken before, or one that he would go on soon. Natsume didn't ask. “But why don't you put the kitty in your room. He must be exhausted from the heat. Poor kitty.”  

Natsume looked down at the cat in his arms. Nyanko had spent the day basking wonderfully under the sun, chasing butterflies and grasshoppers. Nipping at dragonflies and cicadas. He had demanded and eaten his favourite steamed buns. Natsume’s eyes narrowed slightly at the sleeping creature for having brought Touko-san to worry. But he sighed shortly after and excused himself. In his room, he placed Nyanko on top a pillow, and the cat creature seemed to fall deeper into sleep. He placed his canvas bag next to Nyanko sensei, and after looking at his sleeping bodyguard once more, he returned to the kitchen.  

When he entered, there was a place set for him with a slice of cake and a glass of iced tea. He settled into the third chair and tuned into the conversation between Touko-san and Natori.

“All made of glass?” Touko’s eyes sparkled in wonder.

“Certainly you can’t swim there, but I've heard it's an amazing sight to see.” Natori thanked Natsume’s guardian as she refilled his glass.  

A chunk of cake was held midway to Natsume's mouth when Touko spoke. “Takashi, you should take pictures when you go.” He looked up confused, casing a glance to Natori for answers, but the man simply smiled ruefully.

Touko stood from the table. “Oh, look at the time. I should get to the market to pick up some things for dinner.”

“I've taken a lot of your time. Please let me help.” Natori spoke just as Natsume sprung from his chair with the words “I can go too,” on his lips.

Touko giggled over the action but waved her hands dismissively. “I couldn't ask that of a guest, Natori-san. And you came all this way to see Takashi.”

“Being able to sit and chat with a beautiful and entertaining woman such as yourself was also quite pleasurable, Touko-san.”

Natsume's eyes narrowed at the exorcist’s flowery words. But Touko only laughed in return, genuinely seeming to appreciate the man's presence. “What a charming man. Please relax and talk.” She turned to Natsume with a soft smile, “I'll be back soon.”

“Take care.” Natsume's words sounded softly in the retreat of Touko’s footsteps. When he heard the front door close he turned to Natori. A tender look in the man's eyes- somewhere between fondness and amusement.

Natsume wasn't swayed. “What will I be taking pictures of?”

“Ah, I'm sorry Natsume. I meant to ask you first, but you weren't here. So I requested permission from Touko-san.”

Natsume eyed him skeptically.

“Have you ever been to the ocean?” Natori propped his elbow on the table and lay his head upon his upturned palm.

Natsume blinked not expecting the question. Not fully knowing if it was a change of subject or just Natori's round about way of speaking. But the question spurred his memories and it was not hard to come to the response. With all the relatives that he had been passed amongst, he had barely seen much of anything beside whatever scenery he could see from behind a car window while being driven from one home to the next.

“No.” It came out as a whisper.

He'd seen a lot more of the world once moving in with his current guardians. But they had yet to go to the ocean. It wasn't something he thought he could miss out on. He was simply content, happy, to live with a wonderfully loving couple like the Fujiwaras. Any want for more seemed like a selfish act of being ungrateful for what he currently had. Being with the Fujiwaras had opened up so many opportunities for him. He'd met Kitamoto and Nishimura. He'd met Tanuma and Taki. He'd met Natori.

“-tsume? Natsume?”

“Ah.” Natsume focused on the man in front of him once again. “Sorry. What were you saying?”

“I have a bit of free time, and thought about having a little vacation.”

“To the place made of glass?”

“That is a beach in Nagasaki. I was hoping you would join me. We would go to a real beach for swimming, of course.”

Natsume looked at his hands placed in his lap. Natori took it as a sign of needing more persuading.

“It's a three day, two night trip. Is there anything you'd like to try, I'm sure we can.”

“I have to study. I can't play everyday just because it's summer vacation.”

Natori sighed resignedly. “I won't force you if you don't want to go. But-”

The word hung on silence. Natsume looked up after a moment, and only then did Natori continue. “I would like to spend more time with you, Natsume.”

Natsume returned his gaze to his lap.

"The kitty can come too of course." 

If Natsume were to be honest, he would like to spend more time with Natori as well. He was happy to have met someone who saw what he saw. Who experienced what he experienced. Their first few meetings were rough, a bond formed by similarity and necessity of having someone who could understand. They had quickly realised that their ideals were very different. At one point Natsume thought that that very difference would be the thing that separated them. But the more they met, the more Natsume could understand the older man. He had even noticed the changes in the older man as well. Natsume didn't want to always be the one to be protected. He too wanted to protect Natori who had become important to him.

Natsume sighed but kept his features blank. "Okay. If you don't think I'll be in the way."

Natori smiled softly, and reached over with his other hand to place atop Natsume's hair. He ruffled the soft strands before letting his hand simply rest there. Natsume looked up into his carnelian eyes, and the two held eachother's gaze. 

 Time passed slowly and neither looked away.

"Ah. The shady Natori brat is here?"

The two males looked over to see the fat cat creature saunter into the kitchen. 

"Ah, I wondered if there was an earthquake. But it was only the fat kitty."

Nyanko-sensei jumped upon the table's surface using the chair as a stepping stone. His tiny legs wobbled him over to Natori where he promptly jumped and smacked the man over the head. "Insolence!"

But Natori was quick to defend himself, as he grabbed Nyanko's face, stretching it as he did so. Natsume sighed and plucked the struggling cat away. He looked at both his bodyguard and the exorcist, completely unamused. 

"Nyanko-sensei. Natori invited us on a trip to the beach."

Nyanko harumphed. "Are you sure it's not another excuse to trick you for help."

"What a vicious kitty." Natori's voice was all low amusement. "But it is only a normal trip I'm afraid."

When he looked over to Natsume, the boy's steady gaze quickly turned away. Natsume distracted himself by scratching under Nyanko's chin earning contented purrs.

Natori watched Natsume lost in thought. 

"There's also noodles." Natori spoke up randomly. Natsume and Nyanko stopped what they were doing to look at him. "A dish called champon that Nagasaki is known for. There's lots of meat and fish too."

He watched as Nyanko-sensei's eyes lit up. "Let's go, Natsume. Let's go! Champon... Champon!" The cat struggled in Natsume's hold in its excitement.

Natsume could only sigh. "Yes we're going, sensei. But please don't inconvenience Natori-san."

"It seems I'm the one whose being an inconvenience and overstayed my welcome."

Natsume didn't mind. Touko-san certainly didn't seem to mind, so why should he? But he didn't say anything as Natori stood from the table and gathered his hat.

They walked to the front gate in silence. Natori didn't say anything until he stepped onto the road, and turned to address Natsume.

"I'll be back when the week ends."

And Natsume watched as Natori walked away beneath the gray skies. Stray beams of sunlight beginning to peek through. 

**Author's Note:**

> What are titles and summaries? They are the constant struggle jn my writing.  
> I couldn't really think of titles so my brain defaulted to Japanese haha
> 
> (Summer Vacation)


End file.
